The Perseid Meteor Shower is Returning to the Sky this Week. Here Are the Best Places to See it in NorCal.

On the nights of August 11th and 12th, the Swift-Tuttle comet will put on an extraordinary show. When the Earth plows into the comets’ wake, tiny sand and pea-size bits of debris hit our atmosphere at 132,000 miles per hour, streaking across the sky in what we call the Perseid Meteor Shower.

The yearly occasion is the perfect opportunity for astrology enthusiasts to find a rural area and go stargazing. With the new moon, the event is expected to bring a show for people who stay up late to view the night sky, with the opportunity to see up to 60 meteors. The shower should be at its peak between 11pm and 3am.

“This shower is routinely one of the best and most popular meteor showers of the year and is known for very bright and long-lasting meteors,” AccuWeather Astronomy Blogger Dave Samuhel said.

There are so many places to watch this celestial event in Northern California. Here are our favorites:

Lassen Volcanic National Park

The best place to see this celestial event might be a nighttime hike to the top of Lassen Peak. But if you don’t have the energy to summit a mountain, there are still many options in the park to get a good view. Manzanita Lake and Lake Helen will surely provide some picturesque reflection photography opportunities. Also, a view of Brokeoff Mountain with shooting stars will certainly be breathtaking. No matter where you go in the park, Lassen is known as a great place to go stargazing.

The 8 Best Adventures in Lassen Volcanic National Park

Lake Tahoe

Flickr/Jay Huang

If you can find a place around the lake to escape the city lights, there’s nothing like experiencing a starry night sky over Lake Tahoe. Maybe the best place to find the best night sky is the Desolation Wilderness, but anywhere in the higher altitudes above the lake will give you great views.

Mount Shasta

Flickr/Harold Litwiler

There are SO MANY places to see the meteor shower above Mount Shasta.As you ascend into the higher elevations, Perseid will certainly feel much bigger and brighter than in the valley. If you head up to Bunny Flats you should be able to see the stars bigger and brighter than anywhere in NorCal.

You’ll have a great view if you sit on the beach of Siskiyou Lake, watching the moon as it hovers above Mount Shasta with a reflection on the lake. Also, a nighttime hike to Heart Lake could be the To be quite honest, anywhere near Mount Shasta City seems like a winner in this scenario.

Whiskeytown National Recreation Area

We’ve documented the wonderful adventure of kayaking on Whiskeytown Lake during the full moon, and this occasion might prove to be an even better experience for a night on the water. You can always get on a boat (if you have access to one), grab a kayak or go to Brandy Creek. Another option would be to hike up to the top of Shasta Bally to have an overhead view of the super moon floating over the lake. So many options here…

View this post on Instagram

Summer nights • • • #visualsoflife #lifeofadventure #outsideproject #modernoutdoorsman #clymblife #vsco #vscocam #canada #liveauthentic #livefolk #thisworldexists #travel #exploremore #artofvisuals #exploretocreate #thevisualscollective #thisisredding #canon_photos #freedomthinkers #Places_wow #Fantastic_earth #soft_vision #roamtheplanet #OurPlanetDaily #Artofvisuals #awakethesoul #wildernessnation #thisworldexistsambassador • • • • @thisworldexists @timeoutsociety @ironandresin @ig_thisworld @californiathroughmylens @rsa_outdoors @outsidemagazine @vicivisuals @shastarockclub @adventurethatislife @pnwonderland @pnwdiscovered @theoutbound @thegreat_pnw @outside_project @folkmagazine @artofvisuals @instagood

A post shared by Ryan Thompson (@rynotime) on

Yosemite National Park

Although Yosemite can become packed with visitors during the summer, there is plenty of room to enjoy a night sky. The park still stays far away from city lights and can give you one heck of a show during the meteor shower.

View this post on Instagram

Starry nights in Yosemite 💫

A post shared by Cody Brooks (@brooks.imaging) on

Burney Falls

Burney Falls

Take NorCal’s most beautiful landmark (and The Eighth Wonder of the World) and put a a meteor shower above it – enough said. Watch it from the rocks below the majestic waterfall or get an overhead view from the trailhead above. Either way this opportunity is too great to pass up.

The Eighth Wonder of the World Sits Right Here in Northern California

Where do you plan to watch the yearly Perseid Meteor Shower?

Active NorCal

Telling the Stories of Northern California

15 Comments

  1. Hello there, just became aware of your blog through Google,
    and found that it is really informative. I’m going to watch
    out for brussels. I’ll appreciate if you continue this in future.
    Numerous people will be benefited from your writing. Cheers!

  2. Hi, I do believe this is a great web site. I stumbledupon it 😉 I
    may return yet again since i have book marked it. Money
    and freedom is the best way to change, may you
    be rich and continue to help other people.

  3. We are a gaggle of volunteers and opening a brand new scheme in our
    community. Your website provided us with valuable info to work on. You’ve performed a formidable process and our whole neighborhood can be thankful to you.

  4. Heya! I understand this is somewhat off-topic
    however I had to ask. Does managing a well-established
    blog such as yours require a large amount of work?
    I am brand new to running a blog but I do write in my journal on a daily basis.
    I’d like to start a blog so I can share my own experience and feelings online.
    Please let me know if you have any recommendations or tips for
    brand new aspiring bloggers. Appreciate it!

  5. We stumbled over here from a different page and thought I might as well check things
    out. I like what I see so i am just following you.

    Look forward to finding out about your web page repeatedly.

  6. On January 1st, 2023 legal betting became a possibility in Ohio,
    and Bet365 got a license to operate by way of a partnership with the Cleveland Guardians.

  7. Tremendous issues here. I’m very satisfied to peer your article.
    Thanks so much and I am having a look ahead to touch you.
    Will you please drop me a e-mail?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Back to top button